Fuel leak causes a divert land.

Attributes
ACN	282020
Time
Date	199408
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mke
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau tracon : rdu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	282020
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 9000
ASRS Report	281553
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Taxied took off and climbed using dc-9 center tank fuel. Center tank emptied just before leveling off at FL310. Within 10 mins of leveling off, an 800 pound fuel imbal developed (right wing heavy), fuel cross-feed was started at this time. Fuel used totalizers showed slightly higher fuel use by right engine. The captain checked the wing and saw fuel leaking from top. The decision was made to divert. We both came up with mke as the diversion airport. At that time we were closer to ord than mke but mke was our first choice because of congestion and the effect of a short notice emergency aircraft in the ord operation. We also felt we could get into mke quicker, again because of the magnitude of the ord operation. As the captain was performing checklist and coordinating with the company, I initiated the divert with ZAU. I had given ZAU a 'heads up' call when the captain first confirmed the leak so the turn to mke was instantaneous and the descent quickly followed. When center asked, I said we were not in an emergency situation but this was a company divert. I flew an idle descent to mke only adding power after the gear and flaps were extended. During the descent, the captain called mke tower and gave them another 'heads up' that we would be requiring the emergency equipment so they could be immediately available to tell us the status of the leak and in case the situation worsened. Once we were handed off to mke tower, we declared an emergency, (primary as a precaution), in the event something else developed. After landing, the emergency vehicles relayed no fuel leaks was visible, we secured the left engine as a precaution and taxied to the gate. A failed o-ring on a fuel probe cover was the cause of the leak. Mke had a part, so we were repaired and underway again shortly. A primary reason for submitting this report is to protect ourselves in the event someone from the FAA decides we did not proceed to the 'nearest suitable airport' (ie, ord). Mke, in our opinion was the most suitable because of the reduced pilot load to divert there and the minimum amount of elapsed time (1-TURN toward the airport and a visual approach).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL LEAK CAUSES A DIVERT LAND.

Narrative: TAXIED TOOK OFF AND CLBED USING DC-9 CTR TANK FUEL. CTR TANK EMPTIED JUST BEFORE LEVELING OFF AT FL310. WITHIN 10 MINS OF LEVELING OFF, AN 800 LB FUEL IMBAL DEVELOPED (R WING HEAVY), FUEL CROSS-FEED WAS STARTED AT THIS TIME. FUEL USED TOTALIZERS SHOWED SLIGHTLY HIGHER FUEL USE BY R ENG. THE CAPT CHKED THE WING AND SAW FUEL LEAKING FROM TOP. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO DIVERT. WE BOTH CAME UP WITH MKE AS THE DIVERSION ARPT. AT THAT TIME WE WERE CLOSER TO ORD THAN MKE BUT MKE WAS OUR FIRST CHOICE BECAUSE OF CONGESTION AND THE EFFECT OF A SHORT NOTICE EMER ACFT IN THE ORD OP. WE ALSO FELT WE COULD GET INTO MKE QUICKER, AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE ORD OP. AS THE CAPT WAS PERFORMING CHKLIST AND COORDINATING WITH THE COMPANY, I INITIATED THE DIVERT WITH ZAU. I HAD GIVEN ZAU A 'HEADS UP' CALL WHEN THE CAPT FIRST CONFIRMED THE LEAK SO THE TURN TO MKE WAS INSTANTANEOUS AND THE DSCNT QUICKLY FOLLOWED. WHEN CTR ASKED, I SAID WE WERE NOT IN AN EMER SIT BUT THIS WAS A COMPANY DIVERT. I FLEW AN IDLE DSCNT TO MKE ONLY ADDING PWR AFTER THE GEAR AND FLAPS WERE EXTENDED. DURING THE DSCNT, THE CAPT CALLED MKE TWR AND GAVE THEM ANOTHER 'HEADS UP' THAT WE WOULD BE REQUIRING THE EMER EQUIP SO THEY COULD BE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE TO TELL US THE STATUS OF THE LEAK AND IN CASE THE SIT WORSENED. ONCE WE WERE HANDED OFF TO MKE TWR, WE DECLARED AN EMER, (PRIMARY AS A PRECAUTION), IN THE EVENT SOMETHING ELSE DEVELOPED. AFTER LNDG, THE EMER VEHICLES RELAYED NO FUEL LEAKS WAS VISIBLE, WE SECURED THE L ENG AS A PRECAUTION AND TAXIED TO THE GATE. A FAILED O-RING ON A FUEL PROBE COVER WAS THE CAUSE OF THE LEAK. MKE HAD A PART, SO WE WERE REPAIRED AND UNDERWAY AGAIN SHORTLY. A PRIMARY REASON FOR SUBMITTING THIS RPT IS TO PROTECT OURSELVES IN THE EVENT SOMEONE FROM THE FAA DECIDES WE DID NOT PROCEED TO THE 'NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT' (IE, ORD). MKE, IN OUR OPINION WAS THE MOST SUITABLE BECAUSE OF THE REDUCED PLT LOAD TO DIVERT THERE AND THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF ELAPSED TIME (1-TURN TOWARD THE ARPT AND A VISUAL APCH).

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.